The Institute Of DentistryAppointments: (951) 297-3732

Orest Frangopol D.D.S.

The Institute Of Dentistry

Orest Frangopol, D.D.S. performs cosmetic dentistry for wealthy adults. Unlike plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry isn't a major operation. However, the results can be just as dramatic. Come visit Dr. Frangopol at The Institute Of Dentistry in the Riverside, CA area, and see how he can perfect your smile.

Our dedicated team uses state-of-the-art materials and techniques for stability and longevity. You'll enjoy the comfort and confidence of natural-looking teeth.

Riverside area cosmetic dentistry at The Institute Of Dentistry can produce amazingly natural-looking results! You can have a bright, healthy new smile after just one or two sessions with Orest Frangopol, D.D.S.. It's faster and more affordable than you may think.

If you're looking for attractive porcelain veneers, Riverside area veneers dentist Dr. Frangopol can help. Our friendly team will evaluate your situation to make sure you're a good candidate for dental veneers.

Then we'll develop your individual plan for the process. Your cracked, chipped or discolored teeth will be transformed to look completely natural so you can enjoy your bright new smile.

Have you ever considered natural-looking, permanent dental implants instead of uncomfortable dentures? Incredible recent advances in technology allow Riverside area dental implants dentist Dr. Orest Frangopol to create tooth implants just for you that can be permanently anchored to your jaw. This is a great option to consider if you've had negative experiences with dentures in the past.

Park Centre Family Dental OfficeAppointments: (760) 951-9304

Sobha Allada D.D.S.

Park Centre Family Dental Office

Dr. Sobha Allada, practicing in the Victorville, CA area, can provide you with the highest quality dental crowns available, and restore your smile. Using state-of-the-art materials and cutting-edge techniques, Dr. Allada can make your smile look healthy and natural again.

If you're looking for dentures that look great and last, look no further than Park Centre Family Dental Office located in the Victorville, CA area. Sobha Allada, D.D.S. will assess your needs and fit you with durable, comfortable, natural-looking dentures - at a price you can afford.

For a quality porcelain crown in the Victorville, CA area, Dr. Sobha Allada is known for natural-looking results. At Park Centre Family Dental Office, we use quality materials to restore your smile.

Your new tooth colored crown will blend in with the rest of your teeth. Our state-of-the-art techniques will make your smile look healthy and natural again.

Our dedicated team uses state-of-the-art materials and techniques for stability and longevity. You'll enjoy the comfort and confidence of natural-looking teeth.

If you're looking for attractive porcelain veneers, Victorville area veneers dentist Dr. Allada can help. Our friendly team will evaluate your situation to make sure you're a good candidate for dental veneers.

Then we'll develop your individual plan for the process. Your cracked, chipped or discolored teeth will be transformed to look completely natural so you can enjoy your bright new smile.

Richard McCloskey D.D.SAppointments: (909) 621-4862

Richard McCloskey D.D.S.

Richard McCloskey D.D.S

Richard McCloskey D.D.S is a trusted Claremont area dental implants practice providing natural-looking, comfortable tooth replacement. We make it our mission to use a gentle touch during the process.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards to replace missing teeth and provide you with natural-looking results. Our goal is to restore your confidence and your bright, healthy smile.

For comfortable dental hygiene treatment in the Claremont, California area, Dr. Richard McCloskey is known for having a gentle touch. The friendly team at Richard McCloskey D.D.S provides teeth cleaning for a whiter smile.

Maintaining good dental hygiene is the foundation for healthy teeth and gums. We're committed to helping you have a lifetime of oral health.

Our dedicated team uses state-of-the-art materials and techniques for stability and longevity. You'll enjoy the comfort and confidence of natural-looking teeth.

For comfortable tooth cleaning in the Claremont, California area, Dr. Richard McCloskey is known for having a gentle touch. The friendly team at Richard McCloskey D.D.S provides dental hygiene treatments for a whiter smile.

Maintaining good dental hygiene is the foundation for healthy teeth and gums. We're committed to helping you have a lifetime of oral health.

Diabetics must pay special attention to the following conditions related to oral health:

Tooth Decay

High glucose levels in saliva help bacteria to thrive, repeatedly attacking teeth with cavity-causing acids. Brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily is vital.

Gum Disease

Diabetes reduces the body's resistance to infection and gum tissues are frequently affected. Diabetics may experience more frequent and severe cases of periodontal disease. See your dentist if you notice any of these symptoms: your gums are tender, red, swollen, or bleed easily; your gums have pulled away from the teeth; or you notice any pus between the teeth and gums when the gums are pressed. Other indicators are chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth; any changes in your bite or fit of partial dentures; or permanent teeth that become loose. Since diabetes can impair the healing process, abscesses can develop, so it is important to schedule regular periodontal exams.

Oral Fungal Infections

People with high glucose levels who smoke or frequently take antibiotics are more prone to develop oral candidiasis, or thrush. This is a condition where white or red patches in the mouth become ulcerated and attack the tongue with a painful, burning sensation. Swallowing can be difficult and your ability to taste can be impaired. Antifungal medications can be prescribed by your dentist.

Taste Impairment

A diminished sense of taste can influence food choices. Diabetics have reported that their perception of sweetness is lessened. As a result, selecting sweet-tasting, refined carbohydrate foods puts diabetics at greater risk for developing both general health and dental problems.

Dry Mouth: Diabetic patients often complain about dry mouth due to salivary gland dysfunction related to the disease. Constant dryness irritates the soft tissues causing inflammation and pain. It can also increase the likelihood of tooth decay and gum disease.

Saliva substitutes available in pharmacies can relieve discomfort. Sugarless gum, sugarless mints, and drinking plenty of water also are useful in combating dry mouth. Additionally, restrict consumption of caffeine and alcohol.

Mouth Lesions

Pimple-like sores, generally painless, dot the mouth tissues. In a more severe condition, the tissue becomes painfully ulcerated. No permanent cure is available, but your dentist can prescribe medication to relieve the condition.

Since diabetics are more prone to conditions that jeopardize oral health, regular dental check-ups and periodontal screenings are essential. More frequent evaluations may be needed to ensure optimum oral health.

Bad breath, or halitosis, is a signal that something is not right inside your mouth. It may be as simple as the need to pay more attention to your daily oral hygiene, or it may indicate tooth decay, gum disease, or another medical problem. Whichever it is, bad breath is a red flag: take another look at your mouth!

Bad breath is a social problem; if you have bad breath, you may notice that people actually back away as you talk to them. Mouth odors are embarrassing, and they tell other people that you aren't taking care of yourself. Sometimes people are not aware that their breath smells bad; be alert to how other people react when they're close to you, and be grateful if a friend or family member lets you know about the problem.

Commercial products claim they will make your breath fresher, but the only way to make sure your breath permanently fresh is to practice good oral hygiene. In fact, too many breath mints and hard candies with sugar will lead to tooth decay. If you are constantly using breath mints, breath sprays, or mouth rinses in an effort to cover up your bad breath, realize that you may have a dental or medical problem that needs addressing.

There are a number of reasons you may experience a bad taste in your mouth, and even be able to smell your own breath. Food may be lodged between your teeth if you are not brushing at least twice daily and flossing regularly. Food particles can be very tiny and can wedge themselves between teeth and below the gum line; brushing after meals is important and flossing is imperative to get at the particles that the brush can't reach. Brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper. As odd as it will feel at first, bacteria collects on the tongue and can contribute to bad breath. If you wear removable dentures, take them out at night and clean them thoroughly before you wear them again.

If you neglect your daily hygiene over time, bad breath can become a symptom of more serious dental problems. Teeth that are not cleaned properly become a place for bacteria to reside as food particles stay in your mouth and decay. Bacteria attack your teeth and gums and cause cavities and gum disease. If this is happening, gum disease will cause an unpleasant odor.

Perhaps you believe that you are brushing and flossing on a regular basis, but are still experiencing bad breath. If you have teeth that are crooked or crowded, it may be hard for you to clean between them. If you wear dentures that are not fit properly, they may be trapping food or irritating your mouth. Or perhaps your bad breath is caused by another medical problem: drainage from your sinuses, gastrointestinal problems, kidney or liver problems, or other medical conditions.

Here's what you can do to "investigate" on your own. Write down what you're eating and notice whether your breath smells bad because of certain foods. Garlic and onions actually cause odor, but the odor is coming from your lungs as you breathe, not from your mouth itself. The odor from these foods is temporary, and will be gone once the food is out of your bloodstream.

Are you dieting? Hunger can contribute to bad breath, because of the chemical changes as your body turns fat and protein into the energy it needs. Taking prescription or over-the-counter medications? Add these to the record of what you're eating to see whether there's a relationship between your medications and your bad breath. And don't forget to tell your dentist if there's been a change in your overall health since your last visit.

Suffering from dry mouth? Saliva provides constant rinsing in our mouths and washes away food particles. Your dentist may recommend more liquids, sugarless candy to stimulate natural saliva, and perhaps some of the commercial products that are available to combat dry mouth.

If bad breath continues after you have done your best job of regular brushing and flossing, start with your dentist. He or she can tell you whether the odor is caused by an oral problem; if it is not, then your dentist will suggest you see your doctor for a physical check-up.

Regular dental check-ups will help keep your mouth healthy and working well. Your dentist can spot dental problems before they cause trouble, including problems that cause bad breath.

By Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

How To Know If You Have A TMJ Problem With Your Bite

Problems with the way your teeth fit together occur in many different ways. Some bite problems cause discomfort or even pain, and that pain can masquerade as problems that you would not readily associate with your teeth. Some bite problems can cause major damage to your teeth without producing any obvious discomfort.

There are some pretty simple ways that anyone can detect TMJ when a problem with the bite is causing or at least contributing to pain or discomfort.

The clench test: With your mouth empty so there is nothing between your teeth to bite on, close your teeth together and squeeze hard. If clenching your teeth together causes any sign of discomfort in any tooth, you have a disharmony in your bite.

Teeth that are sensitive to cold often get that way from the extra pounding they take if any part of that tooth strikes before the rest of the teeth contact during closure. Use the clench test to see if the extra sensitivity is related to an uneven bite. Squeeze hard. If you can make any tooth hurt by empty mouth clenching, the bite is probably the main reason for the sensitivity. This is a good way to find out if a new filling or crown is "high." If it hurts when you clench, it is probably not in perfect harmony with a correct bite. You should be able to bite hard and grind your teeth together in all directions without feeling discomfort in any tooth if your bite is perfect. The exception to this is if you have advanced periodontal disease, you may have several teeth that can't accept firm biting, but even then, you should not normally feel pain in a single tooth when biting.

If biting hard causes pain or discomfort in the jaw joint, (you may feel it just in front of your ear), you can suspect a possible relationship between your bite and a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problem. It may be associated with a structural disorder in your TMJ, but more often the pain is coming from certain muscles that move your jaw joints to accommodate a bite that is not in harmony with your TMJs. Your dentist should be able to diagnose the exact source of the pain.

Look for severe wear on your teeth, as this is another sign that your bite is not in harmony. If you have worn all the enamel off the biting edges of your teeth, you will see a darker colored surface. This is dentin and it will wear down seven times faster than the much harder enamel that you've already worn through. So ask your dentist to evaluate what is causing so much wear. This wear can be especially damaging when it is on your front teeth, so if you notice your lower front teeth have worn down to dentin, have your bite checked. Better yet, don't wait till all the enamel is gone. Schedule a visit to your dentist office. Correcting your bite may stop or at least slow down the wear process.